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Matthew Oakes of Lipson Community College shares his experiences as an NQT.
I never expected to follow up on my initial interest in teaching music: I considered it more of a hobby than a potential job. I went to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to study for a music degree and in one of my modules I was given the opportunity to run a workshop with some students in a South London primary school.
The pupils were in awe of something as simple as hitting a drum. Within a multicultural school it was a universal language, and no matter what the pupils’ background, religion, belief or personal interest, they all wanted a go.
A friend of mine (now my wife) and I decided to start a business during the school holidays called Youngstars!, which combined music, drama, speaking and dance. We wanted the children to come up with their own ideas on what to perform in a final showcase to their parents. It was a great success and the look on the children’s faces at the end of the performance made my mind up about teaching.
I decided to move my degree course from Guildhall to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, as they seemed to offer more opportunities for me to develop my interest in teaching as a career. I worked in the college’s Saturday music school and focused my dissertation on music education, which I found really interesting.
In the meantime Learn Direct had advised me to apply for a School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) programme, and I was lucky enough to be offered a place on a SCITT course in Devon.
The training year was hard but very enjoyable. I worked in two very different schools in Devon: an inner city community college and a more rural school on the edge of Dartmoor. Both carried challenges which helped me develop my own teaching style.
I was offered a job at my first placement school, Lipson Community College in Plymouth. It was obvious to me that I should take the job as it was a performing arts college and I was really excited about the opportunities there.
In my first year (as an NQT), I got myself involved in the CPD programme and decided that I would study for a postgraduate certificate focusing on assessment for learning. This opened more opportunities and I was asked to present my research to a group of teachers from around Plymouth. I was really nervous as I was so young compared to those who were listening, but it proved to be a great experience.
I am now studying for my postgraduate diploma in education and I hope to eventually work towards my Masters.
Within Lipson Community College I was given the opportunity to develop an interest in the pastoral duties as an assistant head of guild, working closely with the head of music and head of performing arts guild.
After being offered a temporary post as head of citizenship – which was a great opportunity to develop my management and leadership skills – I was offered a permanent post as head of performing arts guild, which is currently my role within Lipson. This has enabled me to attend child protection training, develop the leadership and mentoring skills I obtained from being a mentor for student teachers, and work closely with the students on a one-to-one basis.
At the same time, I am still teaching music and still run the senior school productions in the summer term, which is great.
Winning a regional teaching award and being a national finalist has opened more opportunities than I could ever imagine. I now review work for educational publishers on citizenship, PSHE and music, as well as writing a number of articles for various education and teaching magazines.
If I could give some advice to new teachers, it would be:
